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ud.8.10 Udana

The Second Discourse about Dabba

Thus I heard: At one time the Gracious One was dwelling near Sāvatthī, in Jeta’s Wood, at Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. There it was that the Gracious One addressed the monks, saying:

“Monks!”

“Reverend Sir!” those monks replied to the Gracious One. And the Gracious One said this:

“While venerable Dabba Mallaputta, monks—after going up into the sky, and sitting in cross-legged posture in the air, in the firmament, entering the fire-element, and emerging—was attaining Complete Emancipation, his body burning and being consumed, there was no charcoal and no ash evident. Just as while ghee or oil is burning and being consumed there is no charcoal and no ash evident, so also while venerable Dabba Mallaputta—after going up into the sky, and sitting in cross-legged posture in the air, in the firmament, entering the fire-element, and emerging—was attaining Complete Emancipation, his body burning and being consumed, there was no charcoal and no ash evident.”

Then the Gracious One, having understood the significance of it, on that occasion uttered this exalted utterance:

“Just as for an iron bar, which is struck by fire and heat,
And gradually cooling, the destiny of that heat is not known,
So it is for those perfectly free, who have crossed over
the flood of bondage to sense pleasures:
There is no known destiny for those who have attained unagitated happiness.”

The Text of the Udāna is Complete

- Translator: Bhikkhu Ānandajoti

- Editor: Bhikkhu Sujato

Dabba (2nd)

So I have heard.
At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.
There the Buddha addressed the mendicants,
“Mendicants!”
“Venerable sir,” they replied.
The Buddha said this:
“Mendicants, when Dabba the Mallian rose into the air and, sitting cross-legged in the sky, entered and withdrew from the fire element before becoming fully extinguished, his body burning and combusting left neither ashes nor soot to be found.
It’s like when ghee or oil blaze and burn, and neither ashes nor soot are found.
In the same way, when Dabba the Mallian rose into the air and, sitting cross-legged in the sky, entered and withdrew from the fire element before becoming fully extinguished, his body burning and combusting left neither ashes nor soot to be found.”
Then, understanding this matter, on that occasion the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment:
“When an iron bar is struck
by heat and flame
the heat gradually dissipates,
and where it has gone no-one knows.
In the same way for the rightly released,
who have crossed the flood of sensual bonds,
and attained unshakable happiness,
where they have gone cannot be found.”
The Heartfelt Sayings are finished.